When making a shot with a projectile weapon, such as a firearm, the job of a marksman is to hold the weapon still and squeeze the trigger to release the sear without disturbing the weapon's stability. It is virtually impossible to hold the weapon perfectly still and accurately sighted on a target and many different variables can affect the accuracy of the shot. Sighting problems can be improved with optical aids, such as telescopic sights, which can nearly eliminate sight alignment errors. However, keeping the projectile weapon steadily pointed at a target can still be difficult.
To increase accuracy, many weapons may include a bipod or mounting bracket positioned on a stable platform to assist in stabilizing the weapon while still allowing freedom of movement for aiming. However, even with these stabilization assistance, a marksman will find it difficult to keep the weapon aimed at exactly the same spot. In addition, trigger control is a difficult part of accurately firing a weapon. Inaccuracies due to trigger control generally can be considered from two different sources that are attributable to movement by the marksman prior to release of the projectile. Flinching occurs when the marksman makes small movements in anticipation of the weapon firing. The flinching may be attributable to anticipation of the noise, recoil, or combination thereof that occurs when firing a projectile weapon. The small movements of the marksman translate to small movements of the weapon, which can translate to significant movements away from the intended target before the projectile is released. Jerking is caused when the marksman pulls the trigger or other release mechanism in a manner that causes movement of a projectile weapon. Again, small movements of the weapon can translate into large movements away from the intended target.
Weapon steadiness and trigger control require significant training in order to achieve excellent marksmanship. This is particularly true at long ranges. As examples of how very small movements of the weapon translate into significant movements away from the target; a 1 angular mil movement of the weapon, which is only a 0.012-inch movement with a 12-inch sight radius, equates to a 1-meter miss at 1000 meters, or a 1-foot miss at 1000 feet (333 yards).
Weapon stabilization mechanisms have been proposed. One example is naval and air gunfire where stabilization mechanisms for a gun may be mounted on a ship or aircraft. However, these stabilization systems usually include complex sensors, servomechanisms, and feedback to compensate for the motion of the ship or aircraft.
There is a need for apparatuses and methods to provide simpler, more economical, and more accurate aiming capabilities for a variety of weapons and in a variety of shooting environments.